On Feb. 1, Nancy Guthrie, mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home, forcing a reevaluation of safety everywhere.
Guthrie was reportedly forcibly taken from her home by an unidentified suspect in the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 1.
Guthrie was last seen the night before the abduction at 9:48 p.m. while being dropped off at her home by a family member. When her family reported her missing, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department later put up a social media post announcing Guthrie’s disappearance to the public at 6:46 p.m. on Feb. 1.
On Feb. 2, authorities made an announcement stating their theories that Guthrie was kidnapped, abducted, or taken against her will. KOLD-TV reported that they received an email directly the night of Feb. 2, which appeared to be a ransom note demanding payment by 5 p.m. that Thursday, with another due the following Monday. Savannah Guthrie has since posted on Instagram asking for people’s support and prayers in hopes of figuring this out and finding her mom.
Video footage was recovered on Feb. 10 from Guthrie’s Google Nest doorbell camera, which had been previously inaccessible because she did not have an active membership, so the footage was not saved. It contained six black and white photos with three separate video clips of the possible suspect. In video clips, the suspect seems to try to hide their identity while fiddling with the doorbell camera that was later cut off. The suspect, confirmed to be male, is wearing a black jacket, light pants, a ski mask with their eyes uncovered, vinyl gloves, and carrying a full, light colored backpack.
Investigators have stated that there is no proof that Nancy Guthrie is still living, and at this point, they are simply holding out hope that she is “still out there.” Concerns are also raised due to Guthrie not having vital medicine. Sheriff Chris Nanos from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to local media that she has some mobility issues, along with daily medicine she is required to take, which, if not taken, “could be fatal.” If she is still living and without any medical treatment, her suffering will be intensified greatly.
At the same time, Guthrie’s disappearance raises cybersecurity concerns. Throughout this case, investigators and experts have confirmed that Guthrie’s personal details were easily accessible online before her abduction. New theories are rising over the fact that Guthrie was taken so easily from her home, and how this could relate to her easily accessible information on different media platforms.
Guthrie’s home address, phone number, email address, and broad health and medical information were all found on different media platforms. Some consider this to be a wake-up call for students when it comes to what they put online and to inform students about cyber-criminals as well as online crimes.
Cyber-criminals take advantage of the careless lack of security precautions of individuals to commit certain cyber-crimes, including phishing, identity theft, and more. Cyber attacks can extend to crimes thought to only happen in person, such as robbery, stalking, and potentially kidnapping.
“I think that it’s dangerous and that we should be aware of things that can happen,” freshman Maeve Wallace said in regard to cybersecurity.
Cyber crimes are both growing in numbers and in their level of threat. It is predicted that they will soon overtake traditional crimes in the coming years.
Students in particular are one of the most easily targeted groups of people in this area because they are considered an easy target. And in many ways, they are; students have repeatedly shown their lack of responsibility and knowledge when it comes to protecting themselves online.
“I think it should be sort of like a warning that people should not be putting their personal information online, where some more people can find it,” freshman Rachel Turner said in response to how this event affects State High students.
“Just as we would not hand a child a set of car keys with no instruction about how to drive, we should not be sending students out into the world without a solid understanding of how to be safe and secure online,” Michael Kaiser, the executive director of the NCSA, said in a study.
In light of Guthrie’s disappearance, students are rethinking their own safety and how no one thinks something terrible will happen to them until it is too late. The spread of information on social media is growing, especially as the digital age continues to evolve, making it easier every day to find anyone’s personal information.
One thing’s for sure, the Nancy Guthrie case is more than just a news story; it’s causing debate on students’ efforts in online safety all around the world.
